Building on the lessons of the previous aborted attempt, it would be likely to take the form of an existing round of fixtures played over a single weekend – a “38th game” rather than a 39th.

That would remove some of the concerns around destabilising the integrity of the competition, although there would still be complications around the fact that half of the clubs in the league would play one home fixture fewer per season.

Any attempt to put the idea back on the table – at least five years away given that the tender for the next three-year TV contract based on the current format is presently being drawn up – would be likely to encounter resistance from fans. But Scudamore has already said that the idea would be likely to find favour with clubs that are increasingly looking overseas to build revenues, particularly in the financial fair play era.

At the Premier League’s season launch in August, Scudamore said: “The clubs wanted it then and they all would still probably want it now. It will happen at some point. Whether it is on my watch, who knows?”

The popularity of overseas pre-season matches, particularly in the US, has emboldened clubs to look at other ways of maximising income abroad. Manchester United, in particular, have targeted the US as a huge growth opportunity. More than 109,000 fans watched the team play Real Madrid in a friendly in Michigan in August.

Of the current £5.5bn Premier League TV deal, around £2.1bn is contributed by overseas broadcasters.